Originally Posted by powercat24  For me, it has been spending too much on stockpiling and not enough on essentials. I see a good deal and I usually try to stock up but it doesn't help when you don't have bread or milk or $$ for the next few weeks. I went gung ho on what I thought were good deals and I guess and forgot my family's needs. Not good! I've learned!! |
I about fell in the floor with this one. I SO understand this. About 2 years ago it hit me one evening that I didn't have anything to make for supper. I mean, what good is mustard, mayo, catsup, and pickle (relish) if there's no hamburger to put it on? or a bun? What good are marinades or steak sauce if there' no steak or chops (remember"where's the BEEF?") to use it on. Or cereal with no milk? All I had was a hodge podge of stuff that couldn't make a full meal.
That next evening I went to walmart and spent like $150 on groceries. All kinds of 'no coupon' things. I about choked when I saw the total (I did use 5 coupons though, I just couldn't resist). But we had food in the house for about another week or so! LOL I've since had to learn when spending 'tax' for certain items is just too much to spend. I need REAL stuff too. Like produce, milk, meat, and eggs.
1. I think my BIGGEST mistake was giving my phone number to another couponer in the store because I was excited to find someone else who is so into it like me. This woman drives me NUTS! She's not as 'hardcore' as I am (though, bless her heart she thinks she is- and I'm not nearly as 'hardcore' as some on here) and she calls me wanting coupons for things that I know will go on sale if I just wait it out. She also has a bad rep around here with all the stores because she argues with them on usage or when they inforce their doubling policy (doubling is a privilege not a right, get real woman...if they have rules abide by them) when she truly is in the wrong. Then she will complain to me (in the store) about how bad they are. I don't even want to be seen with this woman or be associated with her. The other day the cs at Ingles said something about my 'friend' and I stopped her really quick and let her know that we weren't friends and that she gets on my nerves with her coupon usage tactics and arguing. I didn't just out right tell the cs about the woman using coupons fraudulently but let it be known that I DON'T coupon the way she does. She snickered a little when I went off on how that woman complains and argues over every little thing.
Now, I'm a lot more careful about getting friendly with other couponers. If I can help someone out I will. Or if we have other common interests I will feel out the relationship before getting too 'coupon personal'.
2. I don't trade with anyone on a regular basis. Here and there if I see someone in the store that I recognize needs a coupon, or if someone asks I'll give them one. Even if a friend just needs one every so often, I don't mind giving one or asking for one if I need one. But not on a regular basis.
I met an elderly couple online in the Atlanta area and the man ended up just weird and controlling the more I got to know him. Like if he sent me an envie, if I didn't call him that day he thought I was ungrateful, even if I emailed him the next morning. He wanted a personal call. He'd call the day he 'thought' I'd get them and if I hadn't called him yet he seemed to get bent out of shape. Like, huh? I have small kids you Turkey, I'm not going to have a lot of time to call you every day or so for hours. One time he and his wife went with me across Atlanta to a Krogers having super doubles. My van was old, and was overheating. I didn't even think we would make it home to be honest. I cut our trip a little short because I didn't want to have to drive it in stop and go traffic. I thanked him and his wife several times, even hugged them (they were really sweet to my boys, especially his wife). He blessed me out the next week saying how ungrateful I was to them for the coupons because I didn't call them. I did actually call but he wasn't home and his wife (which I learned was losing her memory) didn't remember to tell him? LIke huh? I had to drive 45 miles in an over heating van, no A/C or radio, with 2 little children (3 and 4 at the time) in tow? After that... I explicitly let him know that he didn't control me, even though he HAD given me a lot of coupons. I never heard from him again!
Those have been my 2 biggest lessons. Though I have learned all the others posted too.